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The Kentucky Department of Corrections has outlined a plan to remedy a faulty DNA collection system for convicted felons months after the Office of the Inspector General reported that more than 16,000 DNA samples were missing.

In 2009, the state legislature passed a bill requiring the collection of DNA samples from convicted felons. So the Department of Corrections delegated that responsibility to its probation and parole officers. But this summer, the inspector general’s investigation found that that this wasn’t happening.

That’s troubling, because DNA samples from felons are an important forensic tool.

This week, the Department of Corrections has released an action plan to rectify the situation. It intends to implement DNA training for officers and shake up management in the Division of Probation and Parole.

Department spokesperson Lisa Lamb says the agency will also implement new computer upgrades.

“We have done things in our computer system that basically will make it like a big red flag if that DNA sample is collected,” she says.

Lamb says the department will conduct an internal investigation into why the problem persisted, but will not seek assistance from the state auditor.